Chapter 40 - Zhejiang is beautiful

The following morning, Feng Long wakes up and goes to meet Zhong Kunyi. He enters his room, and Zhong Kunyi bows to him:

-Good morning, Your Majesty. 
-You may rise. - Feng Long helps him to rise.
-What do Your Majesty needs?
-I need to visit Jiangsu with you. 
-Jiangsu? Your Majesty must be ready, it takes days to get there.

-Not really. We will cover most of the distance by boat. I ordered a team of four sailors so we will navigate continuously. The current downstream is stronger this time and the winds are also favorable. We can even reach our destination harbor in a day. From it, we only need to cover a bit more than a hundred li, which is possible to do also in a day by horse. 

-Well, I accept your invitation. - Zhong Kunyi smiles.

-Excellent. We will also hold a conversation about a new trade agreement with Xia Chunyu, that's why I chose you to accompany me on this. 

-Your Majesty is wise, just let me pack my luggage. 

-I'll wait for you in my room. As soon as you arrive, we will depart, I'm ready. 

Zhong Kunyi bows to Yu Lexuan and moves to his bedroom to pack his luggage. Yu Lexuan is nearby:

-Hey, Zhong Kunyi, could you promise me something?
-Hi, Yu Lexuan! Sure, what do you want?
-Please, keep His Majesty safe.

Zhong Kunyi smiles:

-Better losing my life than His Majesty's.

Yu Lexuan smiles and interrupts him stuffing his luggage:

-Better losing nothing... I love you too.
-We will be fine, Yu Lexuan. I'll keep His Majesty safe, and maybe warm - He blushes.
-You should definitely do it! - Yu Lexuan smiles.

After packing all he thinks he might need, both he and Yu Lexuan meet with Feng Long. They then go to the back of the palace, the harbor is not far away from there. As they enter the boat, Yu Lexuan moves closer to Feng Long, and hugs him:

-Your majesty, please, come back...

Feng Long kisses Yu Lexuan:

-I will... Just give me three or so days. 
-Your Majesty is my eternal love... - Yu Lexuan bows to him.

Feng Long smiles, as the boat moves from the wharf. He keeps visual contact with Feng Long until the ship is too far away. 
Onboard, the ship has three different rooms, and one of them is reserved for the emperor, in the stern. The other two rooms are for the ship's crew, located in the bow. Both Feng long and Zhong Kunyi will stay in the stern:

-I think this boat is pretty good! - Feng Long analyzes the interior. 
-This is a commercial boat, I was surprised why haven't Your Majesty asked for a more luxurious boat.
-We need speed, not luxury. We also have a limited supply of food. I just want to get to Wuxi quickly. 
-Your Majesty is wise!

As they move down the Jinhua river, the sailors stern the ship towards the Lanjiang river, which crosses a small gorge. Feng Long and Zhong Kunyi stay outside, standing near the bow:

-This gorge is such a beauty, isn't it, Zhong Kunyi? - Feng Long smiles.
-It is, but nothing compared to you. - Zhong Kunyi smiles.

Feng Long giggles:

-Well, I think you will change your opinion when meeting Xia Chunyu. He is probably the best-looking emperor according to many. 
-I'll not change my opinion on how beautiful Your Majesty is. Xia Chunyu may be pretty, but I bet he is not as beautiful as you are as a person - Zhong Kunyi blushes.

Feng Long hugs him:

-I don't care... Our Zhejiang is beautiful, and I want to keep it free from any harm... And love you all in the process, so I can get much-needed inspiration.

Zhong Kunyi reciprocates the hug while enjoying the pleasant landscape. The boat moves fast, helped by the strong winds blowing inside the gorge. 

As they move downstream, the gorge widens, as does the river. The terrain eventually gets flat, and they lose speed because the wind also blows not as strong. The landscape becomes foggy, and the sky turns orange due to the fog and the sunset. The sailors are unable to see more than a li away:

-This is very typical for this area. At night, the fog dissipates as the wind changes direction and moves it away from the river. - Feng Long smiles.

-Well, will the sailors stop?

-No, we will continue until we get to Yanguan. We will anchor in the middle of the river, sleep there, and in the morning, we will get to the wharf, moor, and disembark. From there, we will go by horse 120 li inland, and another 120 li by boat on Lake Tai. We should be able to cover this sort of distance tomorrow and reach Wuxi by the end of the day. 

-Your Majesty has really thought it through!

-This is the path I used to travel. It is easy and fast, and relatively safe to cross.

They sail for another 5 hours. By that, Feng long and Zhong Kunyi are already asleep in their room. The sailors drop the anchor and moor the boat in a safe location amid the river, but far enough from the main route other ships use to pass and also went to sleep. 

...

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